Lie to Me
by emoly01
Summary: Ed didn't want to fight in the war, and he intended on saving every possible innocent he came across. But how could Roy help Ed save the innocents if he couldn't save Ed? Rated T for blood. Perhaps I'll make a sequel if people like it.
1. Chapter 1

It was the strangest thing. He hadn't felt a thing. One minute he was sick to his stomach with nerves and guilt. One moment he was riding in the car on his way to the train station. One second he was preoccupied with his mission, and the actions it entailed. One minute he exposed weakness; one minute he was thinking about how he didn't want to kill anyone for this pointless war.

The next moment, he was still thinking about the innocents he would have to refuse to kill, even though the car had crashed. That was the wonder of shock. He'd hardly noticed anything had happened. When he saw the blood, however, his mind reeled and it all caught up with him. He didn't know exactly how they'd crashed because he hadn't been paying attention. His legs were crushed and blood was dripping onto his limp hands. His shirt was also stained in blood. Then the pain came into focus. His collarbone in particular was in a lot of pain. A few small stinging cuts covered his arms and face. His legs... he couldn't feel them.

Eyes wide, he tried to lift his head to look up at the driver, but it hurt too much. Tears sprang up in his eyes. What happened? How had they crashed? Why did this happen to him? His breath hitched, and he realized how warm his blood was against his skin.

"Fullmetal?" the driver croaked. Ed swallowed. It sounded like Mustang was alright, but he couldn't look up to check. "Ed, can you move? Talk to me," Mustang demanded.

"I'm..." Ed whispered, "I can't..." Mustang sat up ever so slowly and hesitantly while Ed spoke. He could move his back and head and arms. His legs were pinned, but he didn't feel any pain. He turned to look at Ed and his eyes widened in alarm. Ed took a deep breath, winced, and whispered, "I can't kill anyone for this war. Its not right."

Mustang wasn't quite sure what to do, so he went on with the conversation to distract Ed and said, "You're a dog of the military. You have to." Meanwhile, he desperately tried to think of what to do. Ed's collarbone was literally sticking out of his chest. He was bleeding from a head injury, and his hair was matted with red liquid, and dripping onto his hands. He could see Ed's broken leg and the completely crushed automail leg.

Ed took a shuddering breath and replied, "I can't do it. I wouldn't forgive myself. I'd rather die." Mustang's breath caught at the word. Did Ed realize how badly injured he was? Was he thinking about dying? There was no way Mustang was going to let Ed die. He reached for his door, and it swung open easily.

"I won't let that happen," Mustang answered, "Tell you what? I'll let you go back and give everyone a piece of your mind. And then we'll see what happens, right?" He tried to maneuver his legs from where they were. His pants ripped, but he got his legs out with only a shallow gash.

Ed replied breathlessly, "You're lying." Mustang chuckled at Ed's perceptiveness, although the noise held no mirth. He looked at Ed and wondered what the hell to do about the kid. Would it be safe to remove the seat belt that held him against the seat? He wasn't sure, but he couldn't just leave Edward like that. He had to do something.

"Okay, so I'm lying," he replied, "Then let's go to the war site and stop the war. Y'know, talk some sense to everyone." As he said this, he removed Ed's seat belt. Ed leaned forward with a gasp of pain, but was able to stop from falling completely. He lifted his head and leaned back against the seat, tears of pain welling in his eyes. He closed them, and his tears spilled over his cheeks.

"It won't work," Ed replied, despite the obvious pain. Mustang steeled his determination. Ed was going to survive, even if it cost Mustang his life. He wouldn't let Ed die. Not when Ed was so young, innocent, and bright. Ed was too precious to die. He had an entire life ahead of him. Mustang looked outside and realized there were people starting to form a crowd. Authorities were probably already alarmed. Help was probably on the way.

Probably.

And if they were, would they be fast enough? Ed was losing so much blood...

"Of course it'll work," Mustang replied through gritted teeth, "We all know your powers of persuasion are impeccable." Ed chuckled breathlessly, but otherwise didn't respond. Mustang panicked and hissed, "Ed, say something! You need to stay awake for me!"

"I'm awake," Ed replied, his voice gurgling with some liquid in the back of his throat. "You suck at distracting me. I'm about to die; make it pleasant for me, you bastard." He said this all with a painful, weak smile. He opened his eyes blearily and looked at Mustang. Mustang seemed unharmed for the most part. His forehead had a huge lump, and he was bleeding from here and there, but generally looked fine.

"I don't know what you mean," Mustang whispered, "You're not dying; you're in the hospital after the crash. Al just left, and now I'm antagonizing you. Just like usual, right?" Ed exhaled loudly, and looked away from Mustang. Mustang tried his hardest to keep his cool, but what could he do? Ed was pinned, and he wasn't about to leave the boy alone.

"You're an awful liar," Ed commented dryly, "Take some lessons from Al. He's amazing at lying when he wants to be." He started to cough, and Mustang couldn't do anything. He just watched Ed cough and bleed. He coughed out blood, and it dribbled on his chin and stained his shirt.

Mustang ordered him firmly, "Stop talking, I was in the middle of saying something." Ed peered over at Mustang and closed his eyes again silently. "First and foremost, you are not dying. Second, we are leaving right now to stop that war. No one believes in it. Its not worth it. But its in motion already, so we have to work hard to stop it from escalating. Will you do that for all the innocents you can save?" He paused, but when Ed didn't respond, he said, "Of course you will. Because that's who you are, Ed. Always with a goal, always on the move, and always doing what you believe is right, no matter how impossible it seems."

"Damn straight," Ed interrupted shakily. Mustang smiled weakly.

"Feel that warmth in your hands?" Mustang asked, referring to the blood pooling around and on them. Ed was surprised to find Mustang was right. His hands felt so cold compared to the warm whatever it was around them. "That's all the hopes and dreams in the world. They're in your hands. You're going to give children the ability to follow their dreams by avoiding warfare, right? Of course you will." He glanced outside and saw no one going to help.

"Roy," Ed gurgled. Mustang turned his head to Ed and met tear filled eyes. Mustang instinctively took Ed's hand in his own. Ed held on weakly. "You're... a better father... than Hohenheim. I'll give you that much." He coughed a little, and Mustang's eyes widened, but he let Ed continue. "Al looks up to you. I do, too... I love you," he whispered, "even though I yell at you. I was always happy... around you guys... Al, your team... Teacher... Mom..." He took a shaky breath and finished, "I'm so sad... because you guys made me so happy..." His eyes closed, and his head fell forward. His chin hit his chest.

Mustang couldn't even go through denial. Tears just spilled over his cheeks, and sobs soon wracked his chest. Ed's hand went limp, so he held on tighter. Then he found Hawkeye helping him out of the wrecked vehicle. She looked as serious and sad as ever.

"He's dead," Mustang whispered brokenly, "He died. Edward... I... I love you, too..." He fell to his knees. The immediate crowd around him went silent as his broken howl rang through the air: "Fuck!" He punched the ground as hard as he could. Once. Twice. A third time. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked through tear-blurred eyes at Hawkeye, and then at Al behind her, who looked crestfallen. No, he was worse than crestfallen. He was devastated. Mustang got to his feet and pulled Al into a tight embrace. Sobs wracked his chest.

Edward was gone.

He would be missed.

Perhaps just as much as Maes Hughes.

Mustang lost a son that day, and Al lost his seemingly everlasting cheerfulness.


	2. Alternative Ending

**_IMPORTANT - SO READ THIS FIRST_**: Well, its not that important. I just thought I should say this: Ed was so totally meant to die in the first chapter. If you liked the way I ended it before, don't read this. This will ruin it completely. Well, maybe not completely. This is, as the chapter is supposed to be titled, an alternative ending. So this is meant completely and only for people who didn't like that ending. My official statement is: Ed died in the first chapter. This is sort of an unofficial thing to make people happy ^^ And this is, unfortunately, all the work I'm doing on this story. After I post this, that's it. Its officially closed. Anyway, on with the story!

A knock rang through the office. Mustang looked up from his desk and stared at Al in the doorway. Al's ever present smile was gone. It had been gone for two months, and now a permanent blank expression was plastered to his face. Mustang waved him in. Al closed the door behind him. He still wore black for his brother. His button up shirt was black, as were his pants, and even his shoes. Mustang had to wear his uniform, otherwise he would have been wearing black as well. Al sat in the chair in front of Mustang's desk.

"Did you need something, Alphonse?" Mustang asked quietly.

Al nodded, and hesitantly informed the Colonel, "I want to join the military." Their eyes locked. Mustang searched Al's eyes for answer. Was it in respect for his brother? Or was he following Ed's footsteps? Or – God forbid – did he want access to information so he could bring Ed back? Or was Al simply so lost in his misery that he felt his life was so useless he would waste it by giving it to the military? And why did he feel the need to ask for Mustang's permission? Or was he merely asking for Mustang's opinion?

Finally, Mustang responded, "Don't." Al stood up in a flash and leaned over the desk, unintentionally slamming his hands on the polished service. It was quick enough that Mustang flinched. Al stared into his eyes again.

"You don't understand," Al whispered, "We stopped the war. He isn't here anymore. I can make my own decisions, and I decided last night that this is the right thing to do." Silence ensued as they stared each other down. Al was decidedly less impressive than Ed when it came to intimidation. Mustang clenched his jaw. Didn't Al understand that no meant no?

"If its the right thing to do, then why are you asking me?" Mustang replied coolly, "And if its the right thing to do, then why would I say no?"

"Because you don't understand!" Al shouted back almost before Mustang finished his sentence. Al found Mustang's composed mask was impenetrable, so he sat back down with a definitely less venomous expression. "You know why I'm asking your permission," Al whispered. Mustang leaned back and folded his hands neatly in his lap.

He said simply, "Then you better have a fucking fantastic reason to join, or you're not receiving my consent." Al stared at Mustang a moment longer, his expression going slack as the seconds passed.

At last, Al opened his mouth and whispered, "I need a reason." His eyes hardened with determination and severity as he continued, "I have nothing as I am right now. I need something to hold onto. If I can work for you, for my country, then... I'll have _something_." His brows pulled together as he said this, as if he wasn't quite sure how to word his next sentence. "I can't explain it very well, but its the only thing I can think of." His eyes turned pleading and he whispered, "Please. My whole life is gone, and I've spent too much time mourning it already."

Mustang pursed his lips and leaned back. The light from the dying sun spilled through the window. Mustang considered Al's words, and measured the weight of truth in Al's tone. Finally, he said, "The military isn't for you, Al." Al's expression fell, and he looked absolutely crestfallen. Mustang looked at him seriously and said, "This is an order, as your would-be superior officer and father figure. Find another way to serve your country. You're an Elric. You can come up with something." Al sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Can you at least help me brain storm?" he asked at last, turning his exhausted eyes to Mustang. Mustang smiled ever so softly.

"Let's start with the basics."

Five years later...

Ed jumped into the kitchen of the small cottage and announced, "I'm starving!" The kitchen was small, like the cottage. Everything was brown and wooden, and new looking. The "new" part was all thanks to Ed. A tired looking woman stood in front of a stove, with a child at her hip. She turned and smiled at him. Something about her face reminded him so much of his mother, but he pushed past the resemblances. Her round face, large brown eyes, and messy brown hair he could get past. The weary expression she wore was so unlike Trisha's that it was a wonder Ed even compared the two. The child was probably four years old and had brown hair and gold eyes. The kid's nose was upturned slightly, like the woman that held him.

"Dinner will be ready soon, Ed," the woman informed him with a kind smile. "How was work?"

"Great! But that's not important," Ed said, waving his automail in the air to dismiss it as he sat down at the table, "What are you cooking?" The woman smiled, less kindly and more out of her own happiness. It made Ed's ferocious grin widen. She needed to loosen up, in Ed's opinion, and the first step was to be happy. If he did anything to make her happy, it was a step closer.

"Mac and cheese!" the kid squealed happily, "Ma said she'd make it for us!" Ed wrinkled his nose, recalling the fact that mac and cheese had milk in it. The woman giggled in response to Ed's discomfort. "What is it?" the kid asked with a slight pout, "You don't like mac and cheese?"

Ed forced a smile on his face and said, "What are you talking about? I love mac and cheese, Roy." The kid smiled widely at him and begged to be put down. Ed smiled at the woman, and she smiled back. "How was your day, Sasha?" he asked quietly. She shrugged, not verbally responding as she placed Roy on the floor. Roy walked to a chair at the table and climbed into it by himself. Ed's eyes became concerned as he spotted the slight sheen of sweat on Sasha's brow.

"What about you, Ed?" she asked quietly, "You're outgrowing your automail."

He shrugged it off and said, "Winry will take care of it." Sasha's eyes grew wide and she stared at Ed. Ed blinked and realized what he said. "Winry..." he mumbled. He jumped up from his seat, "Winry! Oh my god, Sasha! Winry – my mechanic! I remembered something!" He smiled widely and pulled the woman into a hug. "I have to call her!" he exclaimed, "This is great!"

Sasha smiled softly at him and whispered, "Perfect timing." Ed's brow furrowed in confusion, but before he could ask, Sasha explained quietly, "I went to the doctor's today..."

The next week...

Al pulled his lips away from the bottle of water with a loud and satisfied exhale of breath. The sun beat down on him and the bustling, half repaired town. He looked at his work, pride shining through his wide smiling countenance. The building was completely repaired. Now that people had places to stay, he could work on the town hall. He wore nothing but a white tank top and shorts, showing off his developed muscles. It was too hot to wear anything else. If the muscles weren't a clear indicator, Al's strong jaw and broad shoulders were; Al had grown into a damn fine young adult. He was in his early twenties.

He turned around to go to his next destination when Mustang obstructed his view. His smile broadened as he greeted the man, "Hello, Colonel – whoops, I mean, General!" He took a step forward and shook Mustang's hand happily, "I haven't congratulated you yet, have I?" Mustang's grim expression and lack of verbal response made his smile slowly fall off his face. "Is something wrong, sir?" he asked.

"Mr. Elric," Mustang said, a clear indication that he meant business, "I am well informed on your emotional stability, and I am proud of your progression. I know you've managed to move on with life, but there is something I must absolutely inform you of. I had to as soon as I possibly could." Al blinked in response and smiled uneasily.

"C'mon, sir," he replied lightly, "You're starting to sound like Hawkeye. Just get to the point."

Mustang took a deep breath and said with a completely straight face, "Your brother, Edward Elric, is alive and healthy in Resembool." Al's jaw went slack and his eyes widened. He could have sworn his ears were on fire. There was no way he'd just heard what he thought he heard.

"What?" he asked, "For a second there I thought you just said I was lied to by my family and friends for – for how many years?"

"You have to believe me when I say no one had an inkling about this until yesterday," Mustang said vehemently, taking a step forward, "Ms. Rockbell contacted me this morning and said she couldn't get through to you. I had to get here and tell you in person as soon as possible." Al stared at him a little longer, still dumbfounded. After all this time... Ed was alive?

"But," Al spluttered, "why didn't he try to contact us?" His meaning was clear: _I'm his __**brother**__; why didn't he call me? _Mustang's eyes portrayed the deepest pain imaginable, and Al found he couldn't call the man a liar – not when the pain in his eyes was so real and so strongly reflected his own pain. Nor could he blame the man. "But why?" Al insisted. He took a step closer and grabbed Mustang's jacket. "How is that possible? He was dead! It was confirmed! You saw it happen! I witnessed his _dead body_!" He shook Mustang as he spoke, his eyes pleading for answers.

Mustang whispered, "I hate telling you this, Alphonse, but... he has amnesia. I don't know how severe it is, but I'm meeting him in Central tomorrow." He seemed hesitant to ask, but he managed to murmur, "Do you want to come?"

"He's my brother!" Al half sobbed, half shouted in Mustang's face, "I still have this overwhelming impulse to grab everyone I see and tell them my brother died and my world has collapsed! How can he be alive?" He sank to his knees and clung to Mustang's leg loosely. "Why wouldn't I go?" He sobbed and tears rolled down his cheeks. Mustang stood watching Al for several minutes, sadness expressed deeply in his face. He remembered his own reaction, and found he couldn't blame Al for acting like this. After another moment, he reached down and ruffled Al's hair. Al sniffed and looked up at Mustang.

"Think of it positively," Mustang said quietly, "Fullmetal is back."

The next day...

Mustang walked into the restaurant with Al right behind him. They scanned the place and immediately spotted long, braided blond hair and gold eyes. Ed was sitting at the table with a glass of untouched milk on it. He seemed absolutely serious. Mustang could spot the differences in Ed's face. He was definitely older, more muscular. His cheekbones were more pronounced and his jaw even more so. He definitely grew into a handsome man.

But what shocked both Ed and Al was when a little kid climbed into the chair beside Ed. Ed turned to the kid and said something. The kid smiled brightly and grabbed the glass of milk. He drank about half of it in one go while Ed eyed it with distaste. It didn't escape their notice that both Ed and the kid were wearing all black – in respect for the dead, perhaps?

Mustang didn't hesitate. He strode across the room and sat across from Ed and next to the kid. Al reluctantly followed and sat between Ed and Mustang. Ed looked up in alarm as, in his point of view, strangers sat with him. Quickly, he recognized Al's golden eyes – identical to the child beside him. Ed looked between the two of them and silence reigned.

Finally, Roy the child whispered, unintentionally loud enough for Al and Mustang to hear, "Papa, why did they sit with us?"

Ed pursed his lips and looked between Mustang and Al a moment longer. "Roy, this is General Mustang and Alphonse Elric," Ed said for them all to hear, "They're friends of mine from a long time ago." He looked disconcerted for a moment before smiling uneasily at Mustang. "I suppose you're Mustang, considering you're the one in the uniform."

Mustang didn't know what to say. Finally, he managed to say, "Where have you _been_?"

"A little town north of Resembool," Ed answered easily, "with Roy and Sasha." Silence reigned for another long moment. None of them quite knew what to say. Finally, Ed said, "Winry filled me in on some stuff." He glanced at Al briefly before returning his eyes to Roy. "A car crash. Something about the war effort. Um..." he trailed off and went on, "I guess I should explain the extent of my amnesia. I mostly can't remember people. I've recently started remembering places and events. About a week ago, I mentioned Winry offhandedly and a whole bunch of memories sort of flooded back to me."

"A week ago?" Mustang asked concernedly, "Winry didn't hear from you until-."

"I know," Ed interrupted, "I had some things to take care of with Sasha, and Winry had to fix up my automail."

Al spoke for the first time since he arrived. He asked, "Why didn't you call me? Don't you remember me, Brother?" Ed blinked at Al and stared at him for a long moment. Roy's small hand tugged on Ed's sleeve and Ed snapped out of it. He turned to the kid, who silently raised his glass. Ed looked up for a waitress and indicated the glass. She nodded with a smile.

"I have to admit," Ed said sheepishly, "I don't remember you that well. But I remember the important stuff," he added, trying his hardest to make it not as bad as it seemed, "And anyway, I didn't know how to contact you or the Col – General." He looked at Mustang and informed them tactlessly, "I don't remember anything about you – just a deep sense of frustration and adoration." Mustang sighed; that was just like Ed. "I don't know how that worked, but..." Ed shrugged. Roy's glass of milk was refilled and the waitress asked if they wanted anything to eat. Mustang ordered water, but the Elric brothers passed on the offer.

"I want ice cream!" Roy announced loudly. The waitress smiled and took Roy's order as well.

Ed shifted uncomfortably and went on with his explanation, "Right, so this is what I know. There was a car accident. My supposedly dead body was smuggled to that small town, supposedly for the black market. They found I wasn't quite dead, and freaked out. They dropped me off in the middle of nowhere. Sasha found me, and took care of me. I didn't remember much until I remembered Winry last week and since then things have just been flooding back to me."

"Papa forgot a lot of things," Roy interjected, rather oblivious to the situation, "Ma said it was Equivalent Ex-."

"Roy," Ed snapped sternly, "Your mother was wrong. That is _not_ Equivalent Exchange." Roy pouted, but before he could properly respond, the waitress placed a large bowl of ice cream in front of the kid. His eyes sparkled and he sat up straight to dig into his dessert. Ed scowled and muttered, "I spoil you rotten, fucking brat." Roy stuck his tongue out at Ed, and continued to eat his ice cream. Ed smiled softly and ruffled the kid's hair.

"So what's the deal with the kid?" Mustang asked, not bothering to keep it a secret from Roy who he was talking about. Ed glanced back and forth between Al and Roy for a few minutes. "He's not yours, is he?" Mustang asked.

Ed shrugged and answered, "I don't know, but-."

"How do you not know?" Al blurted. Ed frowned at him and crossed his arms grumpily.

"Sasha was tight on money before I met her," Ed defended Sasha, "So she resorted to a few extremes. You can't blame her." He felt two pairs of curious, startled eyes on him and he flushed. He squirmed uncomfortably and went on, "Anyway, I was there when he was born. I remembered telling myself I'd name my first son Roy, so I did. I mean, I don't know for sure, but..." He looked at Roy and raised an eyebrow. "Its hard to come across yellow eyes. Unless Hohenheim knocked up another of the precious women in my life." Al and Mustang stared at him for the harsh words said so casually.

Al asked hesitantly, "Did you marry Sasha, then?" Ed scoffed and even little Roy wrinkled his nose when he heard the question.

He exclaimed, "Papa and Ma getting married is a silly idea! How can they get married if-?"

"Uncle Al meant in the past, Roy," Ed interrupted the kid seriously. He turned to his past friends and answered, "No, we didn't get married. Neither of us wanted to; I guess she was like me in that respect." He shook his head and went on, "I lived with her and got a job. I could support her, so she stopped resorting to... extremes."

Al asked warily, "So when do we meet this girl who's so important to you?"

This time, Ed didn't bother interrupting Roy as he asked, "Papa, how can you meet a dead person?" Silence reigned over the table. Roy looked around, his eyebrows furrowed and he pushed, "Uncle Al said he wanted to meet Ma. Can he? Can I come too?" Ed met his gaze levelly and said nothing. Tears welled up in Roy's eyes, but he wiped them away ferociously. "Sorry, Papa. I'll shut up and stop asking stupid questions." Ed ruffled his hair and he looked up at Ed. Ed smiled at him, and he smiled back shakily.

"There are no stupid questions," Ed assured him, "No, he can't meet your mother, but he wants to. Its okay to want to see her, but you can't try, okay?" Roy nodded seriously and his eyes dried up quickly. Ed sighed at the kid's resilience. "Sorry about that," he apologized.

Mustang folded his hands in his lap and smirked smugly, asking, "Do you remember why you named him after me?" Ed merely stared at Mustang for a moment, looking absolutely intent. Mustang's smirk fell slightly.

"Keep smiling," Roy whispered loudly, "Papa makes that face when he tries to remember something." Mustang looked at the innocent child and let his trademark smirk fall back into place. Ed kept staring. He had the strangest sense of nostalgia, but he couldn't quite remember it. His lips pursed together and he ignored Roy as Roy whispered again, "He's almost done." And then Ed broke past the block. His eyes flickered to Al and a slow, ferocious grin spread across his face.

"So what about you guys?" he asked, leaning back, "Its been five years. You can't tell me you haven't done anything." He looked slyly at all and asked, "Did you finish that book?" Al smiled back ever so hesitantly. Ed remembered _something_. He wasn't completely forgotten. "I only just remembered," Ed admitted, "but I remember a lot of stuff around you guys."

Mustang joked, "Perhaps you'll remember something else if you look down the barrel of Hawkeye's gun." Ed blinked in surprise. Obviously he didn't get the joke.

Al said, "Anyway, I've finished the book, but no one's publishing it. I've been doing nothing but stopping wars and rebuilding the destroyed villages since you... died? Is that an appropriate term?"

"Disappeared," Ed provided easily, "I disappeared."

"Papa can do magic?" Roy inquired excitedly. In response, Ed clapped his hands together and transformed his automail into a sharp blade. Roy's eyes grew wide with fright as a maniacal grin spread across Ed's lips and a dark chuckle bubbled from his throat. Roy squeaked and put his hands over his mouth. Even Mustang had to admit it was pretty scary.

But almost immediately after, Ed smiled happily at Roy and fixed his automail to look like normal. Roy smiled back slowly and he whispered, "I peed a little that time, Papa!" Ed chuckled, handed him some fresh pants and kid sized boxers from the backpack on the floor and pointed to the bathroom. Roy jumped up with the clothes and ran into the bathroom, giggling wildly.

"He likes it," he assured Al and Mustang.

Al bit his lip and asked, "So what now?"

Ed shrugged an answered, "Try to remember everything, and home school Roy while I look for a job. There's no way Roy and I are staying cooped up in that town. Even Sasha was getting restless there."

Mustang asked reluctantly, "How did she die?" Ed paused and glanced at the bathroom door.

He whispered, "Unknown disease, the doctor said."

After a moment of silence, Al asked, "How did Winry react to Roy?"

Ed smiled widely and said, "She hit me with a wrench and demanded to know who I knocked up." Roy bounded out of the bathroom at that moment, wearing different clothes and climbed into his seat from before. He nommed on his ice cream a little more and whined when he got brain freeze.

"I could hook you up with some money," Mustang suggested, "You are technically a veteran."

Ed agreed, "That would be great." Mustang smiled softly and took a sip of his water. Ed paused and wondered, "Would it be enough to continue my search for free love?" Mustang spit his water across the table and stared, bewildered at Ed. Al stared at him as well. Roy, deciding it was the best thing to do, also stared at Ed.

"Free love is the way to happiness!" Roy exclaimed in a sing-song voice, quoting something his mother used to say a lot. Ed smiled and ruffled Roy's hair.

"Roy," Ed said, "Finish your disgusting frozen cow juice." Roy nodded cheerfully and ate the last bits of his ice cream. Ed turned back up to Mustang and Al. "Its good to be a family again, isn't it?" he asked happily. Ed was the father, obviously, Al the uncle, Mustang the grandfather, and Roy the son. Which left the question: who was the mother? Mustang smirked and realized that was just like Ed. He could almost hear Ed asking, "Why can't we be a family without a mother? We're happy anyway."

"Oh, Fullmetal?" Mustang asked. Ed looked up expectantly. Mustang informed him, "You haven't grown an inch." An angry vein appeared in Ed's forehead. Mustang grinned and added, "Pipsqueak."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE CAN SEE THE UNDERSIDE OF A PHANAEUS VINDEX, YOU BASTARD?"

"Papa... what's a bastard?"

"Yeah, Ed – what the hell is a phanaeus vindex?"

A/N: A phanaeus vindex is a type of beetle ^^


End file.
